The Dead Prophetess' Will : Part 1 Portent
by graphein
Summary: The event in the Asgard after the happening in Manhattan.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

·

·

.

Her face was hidden beneath her hood. Only under her mouth was barely shown which had traces of flesh being off and maggots passing. She obviously was in dead. But her ill mouth moved smoothly as the living.

·

_This is a warning rather than a sneer,_

_foreseeing the future of oneself rather than a mock,_

_and asking of you rather than an incitement._

_Thor,_

_Are you a man who could deceive yourself to keep your belief?_

·

Thor opened his eyes and the dismal woman's voice vanished from his head like smoke. But he wiped his face with his hand as he tried to erase any last vestige of her.

Bad. How many times he heard that voice again and again, it always made him feel bad.

He, Thor, frowned and saw a golden ceiling which was covered with thick shadow through splayed fingers.

On looking outside which was still dark, he waked up much earlier than usual. Thor felt tired but as he couldn't sleep anymore, he raised himself. Then under a slipped covers, a scar which was so big that a child's fist could go in, appeared clearly on his left chest.

Thor trod on cold marble floor in his bare feet, opened a door and went out into a terrace.

Chill air touched his upper body wearing nothing, but rather than he felt cold, he felt refreshing as his head filled with stifling hot air got cold.

Thor who exhaled warm breath by his body heat looked down Asgard strolling in dreams.

'What should I do now?' Thor closed his eyes and thought.

Many things were changed. However, there was nothing he could do to restore it. The only way he could choose was marching forward.

'But-'

He felt invisible wall blocked his mind.

'Is it truly fine like this way?'

The blue eyes opened and above it cobalt blue sky threw misty starlight.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Note.

Before I start this story I reveal myself that my mother tongue is not English. So this writing could have lots of grammar mistakes and wrong chosen words. Please understand my error and I am always glad to have your feedback. (especially about grammar and vocabulary.)

·

Please enjoy.

·

P.S. I might be editing my text at any time because of wrong grammar and vocabulary. But the story has already finished then you don't have to worry about changing the plot.


	2. Chapter 1 Vanaheim

**Chapter 1**

[1-1]

Vanaheim

·

·

·

"In the beginning of the universe, there was nothing except the cold, called Niffleheim and the heat, Muspellheim. On the verge of two meeting, frost was melted and became a water drop. From it the life had begun."

·

"You know what? I am always sorry about this point." said Fandral blithely. "If it still happened till today, all this water drops could become beautiful women smiling at me."

He absently looked up a cascade, streaming out from a cave which stood on the middle of cliff.

Thor, Sif and Fandral were walking along the bottom of gorge in Vanaheim. The gorge was very deep that its vertical rock face seemed more than a hundred meters and the shapes of ice and fire were carved in relief on it. The cascade was exactly set on the place where two shapes met.

"Fandral, we are on patrol now. Please, would be serious little bit more? snapped Sif. "Or I will shove your head in the water till it really become your love."

"Ha! Finally I see now why king Bör sealed off Muspellheim, Thor." said Fandral, clapping Thor on the shoulder. "Were there more women like Sif, every man on this universe should need extra heads."

A roar of laughter echoed through the gorge and scattered up to the sky, cut off narrowly in the shape of cliff.

Thor knew this place well. And the question that Fandral did wasn't strange to him. He had been here several times before and heard the same question once, even though it had happened a long time ago.

·

§ § § § §

·

"Why doesn't it happen today?" Young Loki asked to his mother, Frigga, looking at her with glistening green eyes full of curiosity.

As Vanaheim was their mother's homeland, Thor and Loki had visited here occasionally.

"Because when water drops were formed too much and became giants, your grandfather, Bör, planted Yggdrasil and sealed Muspellheim under the roots of the tree." said Frigga, seeing the opposite side of the cascade. On there, the shape of Yggdrasil was sculptured with the form of nine realms.

"There!" At than young Thor said, sprinkling water on Loki. "Thousands giants attack you."

"Stop it!" said Loki irritably, wiping his face on his sleeve.

"Thor, would you tell me what Niffleheim has become today? You learned yesterday." Frigga laughed and asked.

"Mother, don't we come here for picnic? I don't need to study by coming in here!" Thor grumbled.

"I can explain it!" said Loki briskly.

"Show off." Thor murmured quietly.

"It was the land of fog once before but now it becomes a land for dishonored dead." said Loki proudly.

"Yes, And Fenrir, the wolf of tearing the soul guards them." Frigga added and pointed to a shape of giant wolf standing beside Niffleheim. Next to it a land surrounded by tree roots appeared.

"Surtr lives in Muspellheim, covered with fire and rules over fire demon, called Muspell." Frigga continued.

"And what is that thing?" Thor pointed at a small winged snake coiled up near the roots.

"That is a Nidhogg." Frigga's eyes grew abstracted. "gnawing and feeding on Yggdrasil's roots."

"Doesn't it dangerous?" asked Loki anxiously.

"I think you don't have to worry about that. Loki." said Frigga, smiling. "Nidhogg is too small than Yggdrasil and there are three goddesses tending the tree."

Loki gazed up the relief with looking awed and interesting.

"Come. Come, boys. I shall show you my second favorite place among my homeland." Frigga said and beckoned to them. Thor and Loki made their way to the shade to follow her.

·

§ § §

·

Now the green eyes boy had grown up and he was standing at a hall, handcuffed. Except two guards standing at the back of Loki, there were only four members of royalty in there.

"Loki, you tried to seize Midgard and for your greed, numerous innocent Midgardians were killed." The hall resounded with Odin's dry voice. "Your crime is high but as I consider the intent of Frigga and Thor, I command you to spend the rest of your life in a dungeon."

After the words of Odin finished, guards marched Loki to leave without delay. But all the time he moving his steps, Loki fixed his eyes on Thor with contemptuous glance. Finally when he passed by him, Thor could hear Loki's hissing voice.

"You might think you are benevolent but I become more wretched because of your trifling sympathy."

Thor did not say anything. But he saw the green eyes swaying at the time it met Frigga's. Before long a guard pushed his shoulder roughly signing to move and it took back his rage.

·

§ § § § §

·

"Thor!"

Thor, who gathered his sense, turned to the direction of Sif's voice coming from. She and Fandral were ahead in the distance along the stream which fell from the cascade.

Thor glanced up the relief Yggdrasil again and left.


	3. Chapter 2 The Coast

**Chapter 2**

[1-2]

The Coast

.

.

.

The height of cliff, lined up on their flank, got lower; they could hear the sound of waves. Thor, who had expected to see beautiful white sandy beach covered with form that the breaking waves had left. But when they passed through the gorge, there was nowhere that he remembered.

The bodies lied along the coast and blood stained white sand.

"Sif, send a messenger to Hogun and Volstagg." said Thor. Sif jerked at once.

"Fandral! We search for survival."

Fandral nodded with a serious look as he had never laughed.

The search was not hard for them. The coast spread evenly that there was nothing to interrupt their sight without some rocks rose up sporadically.

"It was not a battle. Obviously slaughter." said Fandral, checking a dead soldier facing down on the ground. "See? All of these bodies are Asgard warriors."

As Fandral said, they couldn't find a single corpse of enemy.

"How could it happen?" murmured Thor.

Fandral said something but Thor could not hear that; a blood stained blade swung at his neck. Thor moved his arm instinctively and fended it off barely.

There was a clang of metal sound. A man who tried to assassinate Thor started to brandish his sword violently when he recognized that his assailment got failed.

Yet the man's blade poorly aimed Thor, he could put him down without effort.

The man did not hold an impulse that his blade hit by Mjolnir and missed the hilt. Thor raised Mjolnir up to strike the man's head, looking into his face, Thor startled. However, it was not because of a long gash above a scar on his face which made him look more hideous.

While Thor hesitated to move, the man whipped out an arrowhead hidden in his sleeve and wielded it at Thor's neck.

"Hodur!" blurted Thor.

The arrowhead stopped just before it thrust his neck and Fandral's blade which was pointing at the man also stopped.

"Thor?" A hoarse voice said.

The man, who called Hodur, was wearing a damaged armor that seemed not to protect him from a blade anymore and carrying an empty quiver on his shoulder which told he was an archer.

The arrowhead slid off his hand. When it fell upon the ground, mistletoe grew up from its point.

"Your highness, Please forgive me" Hodur bowed to Thor hurriedly.

"Up." Thor ordered. When Hodur stood up, he could see his face. His left eye socket was vacant and a cracked glass beads was only left in his right one,

"Your false eyes were broken. Can you see me?" asked Thor.

"Only your silhouette." said Hodur still in hoarse voice.

"That's why you didn't recognize him." said Fandral, sheathing his sword.

"What happened here?" asked Thor.

"As you see, we have lost." said Hodur heavily. "After receiving the asking for reinforcement from Vanaheim Army, we arrived in the coast but no one was here. Clean. Just like nobody had been here before."

"Then?" said Thor.

"Balder commanded us to search the shore. At that time we were raided." continued Hodur.

"Raided? In here?" said Fandral, looking around.

The shore was plane that had no place to hide a force. Hodur nodded quietly.

"And the enemy seemed to be-" Hodur stopped and hesitate for a minute. He appeared very confusing. "-seemed to be Vanaheim's soldiers."

"What?" said Thor.

"That is impossible. Vanaheim is the staunchest ally of Asgard." said Fandral, looking a bit furious.

"You mean Vanaheim betray us?" asked Thor impatiently.

"No, it doesn't." said Hodur urgently but his voice had no confidence.

"So then you mean Asgard Army was attacked by Vanaheim's but Vanaheim did not betray us." said Fandral. "Do you think it make sense?"

"I only report on what I saw." Hodur said briefly.

"Fandral!"

At that moment, Sif's sharp voice was heard from behind Thor.

As they reach the source of sound, they could Sif leaning over a bleeding man. The man who was tall and had fair hair was groaning in a low.

"Balder!" shouted Fandral in astonished.

"Fandral, will you heave his upper body then I can bandage his chest?" said Sif, pressing his breast with her hands to stop the bleeding.

Before Fandral walked up to them, Hodur strode and pull his sword on Balder.

"Hodur!" said Sif, looking embarrassed. "What are you doing?"

"Stand back, Sif." Hodur said sharply. "Balder was dead. Who are you? Reveal yourself."

"You are absolutely sane." Fandral said angrily. "You've said the troop of Vanaheim attacked our army and now you say our force still being alive is dead?"

"I saw Balder was dying."

"You saw? With that eyes?" scoffed Fandral, looking into Hodur's blurred glass eye suspiciously.

"Yes." said Hodur. His blade was still pointing at Balder's chest.

There was a moment silence between them.

"Hodur, were you in combat when you saw his death?" Thor heaved a shallow sigh and asked.

"Yes, I was" said Hodur unwillingly.

"Then you might be seeing a wrong person to die." said Fandral briefly.

Hodur opened his mouth again but nothing was spoken out.

"Fandral, give your arm to him." said Thor, diverting his eyes from Hodur.

"We go back to the Asgard."

§

Before Fandral could say something, a clang of metal beating was heard. He, Fandral, was fended barely off a blade with his half drawn sword from a sheath.

A man who fell upon Fandral brandished his sword violently. But

On his face, a large scar appeared and

A long gash just above a scar on his face made him look more hideous.

Fandral stroke his hands with the back of his sword and snatched the man's blade. As though he was waiting that moment, however, he whipped out a knife hidden in his sleeve and wielded it at Fandral's neck.

"Hodur, Stop!" Thor shouted.

His blade stopped just before Fandral's neck.

"Thor?" A hoarse voice said. The man who called Hodur withdrew his knife and hurriedly bowed to Thor. "Your highness, Please forgive me"

"Then can you explain to me how Asgard warriors could be subdued unilaterally?"

"I have no idea, sir." His voice became more quiet.

"Anyway you are the only survival?"

"Ashamedly, I think I am."


	4. Chapter 3 Valhalla

**Chapter 3**

[1-3]

Valhalla

.

.

.

In the healing room of Asgard, Two therapists were treating Balder. Thor stood at the entrance and watched them.

"I saw- I saw!" gasped Balder. He got a fit again. "I saw I was dead. No, I am dead! I saw the Death!" He talked incoherently; he seemed absolutely out of his mind.

"Balder, please calm down!" A therapist was trying to soothe him. "It's just a dream. Illusion. You are suffering from after-effect of war."

"IT IS NOT AN ILLUSION!" roared Balder, swaying his thick arms more violently.

The therapist got horror as a massive figure of man was going berserk. Then the other therapist standing behind her unfolded his hand tower Balder.

A blue glittering light like a dust of star wound around him and he fell out of his wits.

"Thank you." said the woman therapist, taking Balder before he collapsed on a floor with a thud. And she carried his limp body and laid him on the bed.

Thor left the healing room quietly.

Thor went to a presence chamber but Asgard king wasn't there. Where he found All-father, Odin, was Valhalla. It was the golden palace as the other Agard architecture but for some reason, (maybe it because of a wall carved into the shape of warriors dying in the battlefield; only a woman stood imposingly and stretched out her hand for a bloody warrior lying on a pile of bodies.) gave a dismal atmosphere.

"You are here now." said Thor, coming near Odin.

Odin was watching an empty lot in the middle of Valhalla.

"How are they?" asked Odin, without looking at him.

"Hodur is fine without his false eyes entirely broken." said Thor. "But- I cannot sure about Balder."

"You cannot sure?" Odin raised his eyebrows.

"Therapist said his body was repaired but he seemed to be not quite all there from an aftermath." Thor paused a moment. "He said he saw his dead in a dream."

At that moment, a goddess got closer to them. She looked just like the woman walking out from the carved was Valkyrie; she had solid and tall figure much bigger than ordinary man and her skin was tinged with blue like the dead.

"Einheri are ready to take the field." she said in a harsh voice.

Odin nodded.

"There's no speech." said Odin. "Go."

Valkyrie bowed to Odin and Thor, and marched toward her gray horse. She reaching it, the empty lot filled with murky fog. And then, shimmering armed soldiers like a ghost appeared.

They exhaled rough and tense breath and their horse fumed stamping the ground as though they were about to storm out. The troop seemed to barely suppress their excitement for fighting.

Valkyrie slightly pulled a bridle then, her horse reared and neighed. Einheri, the ghost soldiers, started to move and glided out the palace, leaving silence roars.

"Where you send them to go?" asked Thor, watching their majestic figure. He had seen their march several times before but each time, he felt awed and got a thrill.

"Niffleheim." answered Odin briefly, looking them.

When the last soldier passed through the gate of Valhalla, Odin opened his lips once more.

"Thor, I think we have to visit somewhere tonight."

* * *

At that night Hodur called at the presence chamber to have access to the king. But the hall was empty. Hodur's new glass eyes, gleaming in the dark, rolled at the silence hall. After a moment, he stepped outside as though something came across his mind.

"King is not in the Asgard tonight." said Heimdal as Hodur came into the Bifrost.

"Vahalla is empty. Einheri attend him?" asked Hodur.

"No. They go formally to the front few hours before he left." answered Heimdall.

Hodur stopped his steps near Heimdall and gazed out the Bifrost. Numerous stars were shining brightly but their light was not enough to dispel the deadly dark universe.

"Always be beautiful." said Hodur. "I had been eager to be Bifrost keeper in my young days, though that dream was blown up for I've lost my eyes."

The scar cross his face stood out against the light from the Bifrost.

"But I still wish to have eyes like you." Hodur smiled bitterly. "Seeing every realm and every happening."

"Things are not always as they seen." said Heimdall in a low. "Sometimes it's much less reliable."

"Are they?" said Hodur with both of agreement and asking back.

There was a moment silence, then-

"As I know, All-fatther has formed Einheri to cope with Muspell. And Valkyrie selects the bravest man among the warriors who fell in battle." said Hodur. "If Balder was killed in fighting, Valkyrie could not miss him."

"You still think Balder was killed." said Heimdall.

Hodur's eyes stirred restlessly but he still avoided to Heimdall's gaze. The sound of whiz from Bifrost was heard.

"I killed him." blurted Hodur. "I could barely see because my artical eyes were broken by raid. As I was struggling in the middle of the front, Balder got closer to me to help. But I thought he was a foe, so I shot an arrow at his chest."

Heimdall did not say anything.

"After I recognized it was Balder, I was afraid- afraid myself who could not know our forces from foes. So I ran away. Dishonorable behavior as the Agard warrior."

Hodur's lips closed tightly as though it will never opened again.

"Truly," uttered Heimdall. "It wasn't the first time the things you met with at Vanaheim coast. And Valkyrie has not brought any warriors to Vahalla from last two weeks."

Hodur turned, staring at him.

"It's exactly the same time this peculiar happening has begun." said Heimdall.

* * *

Balder opened his eyes fitfully and rose. He looked around but his eyes were blank and had no focus. He put on his mail and went out the healing room.

Where he stopped his steps was a dungeon. It was a hive shape building and inside the each six-side space, cubic crystal confinement films stayed afloat in midair. Prisoners were jailed into it.

Balder came into a hexagonal cell. Then a golden light formed into a bridge along his every step.

A prisoner who had black hair and green eyes was watching him very interestingly.

"Well, well, well. How unexpected a visitor." Loki smirked. His voice was unabashed as he always did. "I've never though you would come to me, Balder."

"You look very comfortable, failure." said a nasty foul thick voice that could never be imagined from human voice unless Balder's lips worked.

Loki's face suddenly turned stern and pale.

As Balder held his hand to the crystal film, it began to crack. Loki stood paralyzed, staring at him with unblinking eyes.

The film was broken with shrieking sound. Balder slowly approached him, twisting his lips evilly. The nasty voice was heard again.

"You must remember my words that there will be no realm, no barren moon, and no crevice where I cannot find you."


	5. Chapter 4 The Dead Prophetess

**Chapter 4**

[1-4]

The Dead Prophetess

.

.

.

Thor was walking in the bushed forest that even had no path. As he went into deeply the air was getting thicker and nauseous smell stung his nose.

"Where are we going?" asked Thor, frowning by stink.

"You ask me exactly the same question at the same place." said Odin. "Hold your step."

Right after Odin said, Thor's left foot fell into the swarm. The area was replaced from woods to damp ground.

Thor drew his leg out of it and shook the mud off his foot.

"Are we going to meet _her_?" asked Thor, grumbling. "The dead prophetess?"

"Yes." said Odin briefly and he began to walk again. His dress and boots were clean as when he entered the marsh.

"What is the use of talking with her?" said Thor after Odin. "You cannot change your future what she said about and even her words are so obscure that you understand that less than a half."

"Yes. I cannot change my fate." said Odin. "But it could be a hint for next behavior after the things happened."

.

Few minutes later, odd and heavily crooked tree appeared. Odin and Thor stopped their feet a few steps away from it. The tree seemed so horrible and plagued that even a touch to it could make him get ill.

Near the base of tree trunk, a half rotten corpse wearing a tattered cloak was sitting roughly. (or abandoned.)

"Vala, Dead prophetess. If you remember your pledge to me, answer the call." said Odin in a low.

Then the corpse began to move.

"Who wake me up running through this harsh way? I am already dead long ago." An eerie voice ran out from the corpse's lips.

"Vala, I need some advice from you."

"Ah- Odin, The King of Asgard." Vala's voice had both of tinge of offence and respect.

When she moved, the hood waved and her face grubbed by maggots repeated to appear and hide beneath it.

"Sadly my answer doesn't do any help. Rather- I think it would be of help to him,-" Vala pointed at Thor with her lean finger which was dangled about to fall off. "-but his question is looking for another thing."

Odin gazed her without a word.

"Alright." Her lips twisted slightly. "For I did not respond your demand, I shall tell both of it."

Vala walked up to Thor. Against his expect, she had strong mint scent on her breath.

Vala gestured to give him something. A chill icy crystal dropped into his hand. Soon, it melted away any minute with temperature.

"Make it freeze again." said Vala.

"What?" said Thor. "How can I do that thing? I'm not a magician."

"Moaned. Too moaned." Vala sighed. "You are avaricious more than Odin."

Vala snatched Thor's wrist with her dry hand.

"How dare you long to get back what you've lost without any cost? Even it is beyond your power?"

Thor felt the cold like his vein filled with frost and pain. His hand and arm turned white as though he got chilblain. The melted crystal had been frozen and gleaming in his hand.

Thor jerked his arm loose in startled. He looked down his arm but it was without any defect as before; flash, pale pink and warm.

Thor started at her. Vala was walking back to the awful tree.

"I answered your query than let me tell you the send words."

She inhaled deeply even she did not have any lungs to fill with and spat out harsh voice.

_"This is a warning rather than a sneer, foreseeing the future of oneself rather than a mock, and asking of you rather than an incitement. Thor, are you a man who could deceive yourself to keep your belief?"_

There was a moment silence.

"I do not do such that dishonorable." Thor blurted out. His voice was quiet but firm.

Vala gazed him with a half of lament and a half of sneer.

"In my opinion, the thing you are seeking for is not any different than what you think dishonorable." said Vala.

"What you mea-"

"Though I am forced to answer, now I want to be silent."

Vala collapsed without waiting for Thor finished his words. Her body, leaning the tree, did not move as when they first saw her.

Thor gaped at her and turned to Odin. But he withdrew himself neatly as though he didn't have any point to stay longer.

* * *

Thor thought about Vala's prophesy all the way coming back to the Asgard. But only her uncanny voice clouded his mind. Besides, he couldn't keep that thought when he arrived. Thor heard the news, which was Balder had disappeared and Loki had escaped.

.

"Why?" Thor roared. "Why don't you allow me to find them?"

Thor's angry voice bounced the column of the hall and reverberated. Odin was sitting on his throne and looking down his restless son.

"Because I'm dogmatic and emotional?" said Thor impatiently.

"You've got more self-examination." said Odin with a bit of satisfaction.

"That's why you sent Balder to Vanaheim instead of me. But now he cannot perform your require!" said Thor still angrily.

"Yet I've not permitted you to chase them. Why do you think I didn't do that?"

Thor stared at Odin. He hated this kind of way to teach; making himself to find the root. It always had got him exhausted.

"Because I opposed Loki's death sentence?" said Thor reluctantly. "Do you surely think I intend to let him go?"

"Elders do." said Odin.

"Loki is my brother. It is natural that I go out to him. How can I set the rest of my heart at the average of people's?"

"At least- said Odin "-you have to pretend to be. That's why I'm called _their king_."

Odin suddenly looked very old and weary. The thought occurred to Thor that indifferent face of Odin had showed at the trial of Loki might not be his real heart.

At that time urgent footsteps came into the hall.

"My king, I have a report." said a soldier.

"Speak." said Odin.

"The contact from Valkyrie's troop is suspended. Even Heimdall miss their trace."

All at once Odin rose to his feet.

"Get ready to leave. I go to Niffleheim myself." said Odin and round on Thor.

"Thor, Go to Jotunheim and find Loki and Balder."

"How could you know where they are?"

"They vanished without notice of Heimdall. Where do you think they would go?"

Thor reminded that Loki had taken three Frost Giants into the Asgard vault at the day of Thor's coronation. For that happening, his coronation had to delay without promise.

The soldier was gone already and Thor turned on his heels to leave. As he was about to move out of the hall, Odin's voice was heard again.

"And Thor, I hope that I miss my guess- " Odin paused. "Search first in the inner border."


	6. Chapter 5 Marching corpses

**Chapter 5**

[1-5]

Marching corpses

.

.

.

"How could he escape from the dungeon?" said Volstagg, saddling up a horse. "Was it another magic or trick?"

"No, it is impossible. Confinement film is made for preventing all kind of physical and magical violence." said Sif, looking at him over her horse back.

"Well, the things I really wonder is why he led Balder away?" said Fandral. "Were the soldiers who had vanished from Vanaheim gone like him?"

"What do you mean, Fandral?" asked Thor, walking into the stables.

Fandral looked at him in embraced.

"Well, some people think Loki has schemed all this things." answered Sif on his behalf.

"All?" Thor's eyebrow rose.

"You know, recently. There are some strange happening all over the nine realms."

"It is absolutely ridiculous rumor." snorted Thor. "Loki was in prison when it happened."

"But Thor, he has escaped! Even he took Balder away!" said Sif.

"What makes you think Loki took him in hostage?" said Thor.

"Or do you really think Balder helped Loki to escape and followed him of his own free will?" Sif returned.

Thor stumbled a moment.

"I will prove it." said Thor.

"Thor, it is just your wish to believe." said Sif. "You know how he was in the Midgard. You have to think more reasonable"

Thor scowled at her. He desired to retort her words but he could say nothing. She was right. As matters stand, it was logical to think like her. But Thor did not want to admit it and only thing he could do was clenching his fist.

Thanks to appearance of Hodur, awkward atmosphere was interrupted. He was armed and held his bow.

"I heard you are going to find Balder." said Hodur in hoarse.

"Can you be alright?" asked Thor.

"I am partly responsible for he comes to be like that. I did not support my high officer properly at Vanaheim. I do not want to follow the same mistake."

"Mount your horse." said Thor briefly and nodded.

* * *

Odin's crack unite was walking in heavy layer of fog. There was no wind and no sound without deadly silence drenching the whole field of Nifflehim. Gloomy and dense air appeared to forget how to move; only thing they did was devoured uninvited visitors footsteps.

Odin bent down and roughly swept frost away on the ground by his hand without holding his golden spear, Gungnir. He gazed it a while and abruptly lift his head, looking around. There was some sound was heard.

As he moved a few steps forward, Odin could see someone sitting on the ground a short way away from him.

It was Valkyrie, leaning on her nicked blade and she was muttering uncertain words like being abstracted.

Around the point of her sword, huge black shape had fallen, cut its neck. It looked like an awfully ugly black feathers of cock.

"Valkyrie?" Odin called her cautiously.

Valkyrie's sunken eyes turned to him and she opened her mouth. The voice coming from her lips was very deep and low as though her whole body made a sound

"I- I can hear-" She seemed very hard to continue her words. "I can hear her singing, and can feel her hands-"

She inhaled toughly and spat her last words.

"- then I shall dance for her pleasure."

As her voice faded away into the air, the ice grew up and covered her over. When Odin reached out his hand for her, the ice broke up into thousands of pieces.

Odin looked down Valkyrie quietly who turned the pieces of ice.

"Sir?"

A soldier appeared out from the fog.

"We can't find anyone here."

"I think I am." said Odin without looking at him.

"But-"

"Aren't they under your feet?" said Odin.

When he slammed the butt of his spear down against the ground, the fog and frost blew off in a circle around him.

The dark blue ting of ice emerged from under their feet. Beneath it, gleaming things like fluid were drifting limply. The solider narrowed his eyes to look carefully. He could see pale and blurred eyes, that Einheri.

* * *

Brilliant light mixed with several colors poured from Jotunheim's night sky and six people walked out of it.

"So what?" said Fandral chatting his teeth by cold. "Should we hunt through this entire realm?"

"We start off inner border." said Thor.

"What? Inner border?" repeated Vostagg.

"Thor, There's nothing! Even Frost Giants have not approached there because of Jormungand" said Fandral.

"No, it has one use." said Hogun.

"A cemetery." answered Hodur.

.

"It's getting worse." grumbled Volstga, squinting by snowstorm. They were plowing through blizzard.

"Even I can't see beyond my nose, how can I notice where is the gate of Jormungand and avoid it?"

"It doesn't matter whether it is fair or not. The mouth of Jormungand is invisible anyhow." said Sif.

"Rather it would be better for us." said Hogun.

"Better?" repeated Volstagg.

"Jormungand is entirely different space from here. It must have distorted gap and might be observed much easily for snow." said Hogun.

"I have no idea why such that thing is being." Volsgagg still growled.

"If it had not encircled Midgard, Frost Giants have invaded there long ago?" said Fandral. "And then, Thor couldn't be banished to Midgard."

Sif nudged Fandral and nodded her chin toward Thor. Then he closed his mouth.

As there were painful silence, Volstagg uttered to light up the mood.

"You know that? When I was young I thought Jormungand was real snake because of its other name, Midgard serpent." said Volstagg briskly. "I hardly believed that it was just a snake shaped space."

"Ah! Yes, you were. You said to me that you will knock down Jormungand with a blow when you grow up." said Sif, pretending to be interesting his conversation.

"But no one have escaped from it." said Hodur in dismal voice.

Sif gave savage gaze to him. He spoiled the atmosphere again that Volstagg had managed to brighten up. But Hodur seemed not to notice she staring at him.

"No, there are two men who survived." said Hogun.

"Ah! Yes, yes! The Twin warriors!" said Fandral. "But Hogun. It happened two thousand years ago and they were mad."

"From what I heard one of them killed himself and the other one wrote a book about admiring the vision what he had seen at there when people did not listen to his words." said Volstagg.

Leaving their heated debate, Hodur came near Thor who led them.

"You don't think Loki escaped from dungeon by his own power, do you?" asked Hodur quietly.

"No." said Thor firmly. "And you?"

Hodur hesitated for a moment.

"No, I don't."

As a scabbled rock which looked like a warning sign emerged into their view, they stopped.

"We split from here." said Thor. "You know how to contact? Be careful."

"Certainly I will." said Fandral gently and walked toward the east with Volstagg.

Hogun and Sif nodded and moved their steps to the west. Thor and Hodur head to north, deeper of the border.

* * *

Loki was standing in snowstorm and giving a side-glance at a place which snow flurries whirled in weird shape and disappeared into. He turned to Balder who stood the edge of cliff, looking down the desolate snowfield. He nicked his hand, drew blood and scattered it around him.

Snow, absorbed the blood, began to make a lump as though it was the alive. A dreadful large crimson cock appeared under snowflakes. The cock walked by Balder, dripping with blood, and swelled its chest as it was about to crow.

The cock craned its neck and opened its beak widely. But there was no sound he could hear.

Suddenly Snowfield cracked and rumbled. From its crevice, Frost Giants corpses crept out. And they moved onward Utgard, the heart of Jotunheim.

"Your behavior is against her essence." said Loki, coming near him. "Does she be pleased it?"

"It's only a blip in eternal silence for her." said Balder in hoarse. "You become quite forward. But be still nervous and doubtful yourself. So could you push me into Jormungand?"

Loki pursed his lips but did say nothing.

"It is worthless." said Balder, smiling like jeer. "You know this is only an empty shell. You never can escape from me."

"At least I would not die here!"

As he was about to rush upon Balder, an arrow flew into Loki's head. He dodged it with swift action. The arrow lodged in the ground, trembling.

Hodur cut at Loki without giving a break. Loki fended off his sword and threw snow in his face.

Hodur came to a sudden halt for snow blinding his sight but he stretched his hand toward the direction that hurled dagger coming from.

He thrust an arrowhead at Loki's chest.

Loki gasped. His pale face glowed with dim flash and turned Balder.

"No!" cried Hodur.

A mistletoe grew from the barb of the arrow and winded him up quickly. Balder's body dried as he was drained of all the water in his body. Finally, it did not bear the force of the mistletoe and tumbled down like a dust.

Hodur watched it in confused and then he felt a sharp blade of dagger stabbed his back.

"Blind Hodur. You would have better not see as your nickname." said Loki cynically.

Hodur twisted quickly and saved himself from serious injury. He flourished his knife to increase the distance from him, picked up his bow and pulled a string to the sky.

"No!" Loki shouted. But he was too long to stop him. The red flare colored Jotunheaim's bleak sky.

The corpses, below the hill, wheeled around to the direction of the light. They dragged their frozen body and began to stagger toward them.

"You Idiot!" Loki bellowed. "Your foolish behavior make both of us die!"

"No, it is only you." said Hodur coolly.

.

The clang of metal sound cleaved cold wind. Hodur brandished his knife more angrily and drove Loki to the edge of cliff. But Loki did not pay much attention to him. He kept glancing back. The troop of Frost Giants corpses almost arrived on the head of hill.

The moment corpses pounced upon them, the lightning stork.

"Loki!" Thor roared, dashing toward them.

Corpses, who got a shock, paused for an instant; however, it started to move again as though nothing had happened to them.

A wave of Frost Giants corpses poured in and Thor, Loki and Hodur were busy to ward off their huge dead limbs which were spring out at them.

Immense cracking sound reached their ears from deep underground. The ground grew to crumble away. Frost Giants fell into the crevice but still clung to Loki tightly and dragged him down.

Thor had no time to think, reached out and took hold of his hand. When Thor became defenseless, Frost Giants turned on him in flocks. The glacier where they had feet on couldn't bear their weight and craved in.

Thor, Loki and a number of corpses vanished into snowstorm.


End file.
